Dr Henry Marsh, Brain surgeon - BBC HARDtalk 2016

Stephen Sackur talks to one of Britain's leading brain surgeons, Henry Marsh. Imagine you are a patient about to undergo brain surgery. If it goes well it'll save your life; if it goes wrong you could end up paralysed or dead. Of course you want to believe your surgeon is infallible, a superhero - but he's not; he's all too human just like you. That simple truth emerges from the extraordinarily honest writing of Dr Henry Marsh, He's given us rare insight into the mind of the doctor - is it reassuring or troubling?

[@avs4365]

He successfully operated on me in the old Atkinson & Morley hospital back in '93 - still here and still immensely grateful. Bless the NHS.

[@amirhoseinmadadi3283]

well he doesn't like the NHS

[@avs4365]

@@amirhoseinmadadi3283 Evidence?

[@amirhoseinmadadi3283]

@@avs4365 go search neurosurgery In youtube in end of a clip he will say that he have beef with NHS

[@amirhoseinmadadi3283]

@@avs4365 a day in the life of NHS neurosurgeon clip, at the end he will tell you. you bad NHS agent.

[@avs4365]

@@amirhoseinmadadi3283 Don't quite get the agent bit; but still, When asked about the differences between socialized and private health care - he states that he believes in socialized medicine 'passionately, passionately'. end quote. His criticism of private healthcare is that it is 'extravagant'. He also comments that: ''the NHS provides, by international standards very good healthcare in terms of overall outcome of life expectancy. His main criticism, I would politely suggest is for those politicians who interfere with the running of it. Pretty much how most of the public feel, here in UK as the politicians dither with Covid treatment while leaving NHS staff and carers to struggle with the mess they create.

[@amycarter3603]

He saved my Nan back in 2002. Thank you Dr Marsh!

[@NickLiang]

There's a documentary of this man in east Europe somewhere providing his skills for free to help those who cannot afford healthcare. What an amazing man.

[@oshkrh]

He writes about it in his book, do no harm, about the times he operated in Ukraine

[@christophertravis9522]

@@oshkrh that book is my bible, its genuinely incredible and so honest and the thing that made me decide definitively that I want to be a neurosurgeon- this man is a huge inspiration to me

[@robhardie6687]

Yes, an amazing film, 'The English Surgeon'

[@stuartberesford3585]

He did a lot of work in Ukraine, either for a certain period or throughout his career.

[@rmb3211]

I looked him up after listening to his Fresh Air interview. He has advanced prostate cancer now and it's interesting to hear his thoughts on being a patient. I wish him the best and hope his cancer goes into remission.

[@BananaZen7]

i underwent a braintumor operation in 2018...and i think neurosurgeons are superhumanly talented and brave...

[@craftchrome1618]

He is being so honest

[@Ahmad-le6ys]

If you want a stereotype old school surgeon this is it right here. Great show 👌

[@o1o2mcs-is3yw]

Wonderful interviewer and interviewee.

[@zacharyokenye2197]

I am a 4th year Medicine student. I'm still reading Do not harm by Henry Marsh-Primum non nocere. I recommend the book. Right now I feel hopeless but with God whom I draw strength from, I will persevere to be among best like Henry Marsh. I dreamt to become a neurosurgeon. Are dreams true? I'm still dreaming. I hope it can be true one day.

[@vanessaprice7322]

I am SO happy to see you are still studying. Focus on the Pineal gland, there's a shortage of skills 👌

[@hectorpascal]

Every doctor should aspire to be like this man.

[@Caluma122]

Just finished reading your book "Admissions" - Fantastic Stuff! Absolutely loved every page of it! I swear you, and Professor Westaby, are a dying breed! I need to go and read "Do No Harm" now...

[@shaileshwasti407]

Great interview. Pleasant to hear him talk about his service in Nepal.

[@sebastianchirayil7365]

This man found the 6 blade - ECT, and countless lives saved. Thank you!

[@SaifAli-kl2jj]

Thanks great insight

[@user-lj6zh6ib6m]

This is very interesting interview 👍

[@khalaka1160]

This is the right name for this show: Hard talk. This guy just keeps talking over the doctor.I want to listen to the doctor note You!

[@simondow6877]

A very great doctor able to do these operations a very talented man

[@Anna.78651]

I love this sergoen book. As well his honesty i myself is eye care professional..

[@annajones9701]

Super smart and stressful job. Amazing

[@stunstun1638]

Amazing guy

[@ardon2757]

great

[@Glen-ft8ch]

The President's brain is missing.

[@hassanbadi2563]

Stephen you're the best jurnalist in BBCW how could I get you in touch

[@stuartberesford3585]

I'm in my late twenties and have began studying medicine as a mature student. I agree to a certain extent that (and I'm speaking as a student, not as a professional) that the vast amounts of scientific study require a very different study skill to the far more subjective area of medical ethics. Obviously prior to my studies I have been a patient under the Britain's invaluable National Health Service, and whilst I understand why medical students/future doctors and indeed those qualified are trained to lie to patients, I just don't see how any good can come of it. I would not like a doctor to lie to me, as a patient, about my treatment or the treatment of a close friend or loved one. And so if/when I graduate and begin practicing, I don't think I would be able to lie to a patient, or the friends/families of a patient. I'd like to open up a channel for discussion here, as I'm genuinely intrigued as to what others have to say on the matter; medicine, as Mr. Marsh touches on, is like any other part of life in that there are lots of grey areas.

[@user-yd4nk4lm6s]

It is a lie but only to a certain extent… I’d say more striking a balance to encourage a positive attitude in the clinician and potentially better outcome for the patient. There are studies that show long term outcomes are somewhat influenced by patient attitude. This might not be the case for brain surgery given the serious conditions dealt with, but if it helps the surgeon in any way I think it’s well worth it.

[@vanessaprice7322]

@@user-yd4nk4lm6s a lie is a lie, no ifs or buts.

[@user-yd4nk4lm6s]

@@vanessaprice7322 said like a true non clinician.

[@vanessaprice7322]

@@user-yd4nk4lm6s depends on which side of the coin you want to see.

[@rsmit2797]

2:03 doctors never buried there mistakes!

[@hansdybka1331]

Amazing, honest and interesting interview...I believe that if psychiatrist Dr Cameron ( MK Ultra subProject#68) had this style of empathy, self-awareness, and modesty...the autrocious human experimentation would not have happened.

[@rsmit2797]

how dare he ask this!

[@user-cq7sx4zb4p]

Can someone send me the email of this doctor, please it is extremely urgent 😢

[@rahuldahoob]

He's retired now...

[@TheGunGuwo]

He seems a little less arrogant than the average surgeon (In other words a safer surgeon kkk). What an amazing person.

[@localnowdc8654]

0:46

[@nurseleny5888]

I think am going to be more than him

[@roberthoward3582]

Mr Marsh operated on my wife and left ‘debris’ pressing on her spinal cord. He never personally took consent as he has stated many times, that’s what his registrar was for. The operation wasn’t carried out properly, and the result was pain and paralysis. Mr Marsh wouldn’t listen and refused to put things right. Another surgeon from the National Hospital at Queens Square London had to do the operation again but this time properly. I consider him to be a very dangerous surgeon.

[@iwasglad122]

Surely, as a consultant surgeon in the UK, he should be titled 'Mr' and not 'Dr.'

[@alik5536]

He is saving lives, call him a legend

[@bryananderson1483]

NHS National health service. Not World health service.

[@juliusklugi7430]

Thank you for that rather relevant and pressing statement because clearly that’s the biggest problem (a whole tenth of 1% of the NHS budget!) as opposed to lack of funding, you small minded flag shagger.

[@jimbomoosio2184]

Surgeons are called Mr not Dr

[@CEO786]

Indeed God has gifted him and utilised him to serve his creation. What a Merciful and ever Generous Lord

[@iwasglad122]

Merciful and Generous? Really? After a career saving lives he is now facing his own death through prostate cancer. Is his cancer also God-given?

[@vanessaprice7322]

@@iwasglad122 what is your point, I'm trying to understand?

[@tillburr6799]

@@vanessaprice7322 well it doesn’t seem like a nice thing to go through does it?

[@ianroberts4981]

Pfffffft. It’s not rocket science.

[@gabrielleandrew542]

It’s in some ways more difficult than rocket science

[@Glen-ft8ch]

Joe Biden needs a brain.

[@jennyhughes4474]

Very interesting. But why on earth complain about being instructed not to wear a tie & wristwatch whilst operating? I assume these things can & do harbour germs which can infect patients - & is are hospital-acquired can be deadly - far easier to prevent than cure, obviously. I agree with him about where 'we' are: in the brain but also in our bodies - he didn't mention that, odd. Also I went outside my body (after suffocating way too long & couldn't save myself because I'd been paralysed with their neuro-muscular-blocking drugs - it was TORTURE. Surgeons sometimes (as here) talk about 'complications' (how I HATE that word: it is wrong) of surgery - plumbers & car mechanics would never use a wishy-washy word like this which implies they are unavoidable, which isn't true) but they never ever talk about errors & 'complications' of anaesthesia, why? All pretend that these risks are 'minimal' & they are mostly lied about, denied and covered-up (& patients' injuries totally neglected because "nothing went wrong" they all chant to protect THEMSELVES - as mine were.

[@allzszvijaykumar5537]

why stop channel working.... Something ... Political issues?